Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Pasaje Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Pasaje

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $933 per month in Vilcabamba vs $925 in Pasaje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,439 per month in Vilcabamba vs $1,431 in Pasaje, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,945 per month in Vilcabamba vs $1,937 in Pasaje, rent included.

Vilcabamba costs about 1% more than Pasaje, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Vilcabamba and Pasaje are more affordable than the global median – Vilcabamba 30% lower, Pasaje 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.30 $3.30

$3.47 $3.47

-4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 $35.09

$47.70 $47.70

-26.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 $7.56

$8.03 $8.03

-5.85%

Cappuccino

$2.16 $2.16

$2.63 $2.63

-17.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.87 $0.87

17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.61 $0.61

52.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.09 $3.09

-35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.48 $4.48

-23.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.09 $1.09

-11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 $1.71

14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.70 $1.70

-20.59%

Eggs

$2.17 $2.17

$2.64 $2.64

-17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 $7.48

$6.08 $6.08

23.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.33 $5.33

10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 $7.21

$6.09 $6.09

18.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.03 $2.03

24.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.06 $1.06

16.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.08 $1.08

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.04 $1.04

0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.85 $1.85

-47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.39 $1.39

-30.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.69 $0.69

2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.01 $1.01

0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 $6.22

$6.18 $6.18

0.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.09 $10.09

$12.05 $12.05

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.60 $1.60

1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.14 $2.14

17.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.33 $0.33

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.33 $24.33

$23.92 $23.92

1.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.81 $2.81

-45.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.99 $0.99

-7.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 $10.19

$9.98 $9.98

2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.68 $0.68

-5.88%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.1K $20.1K

$24.9K $24.9K

-19.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.8K $27.8K

$29.2K $29.2K

-4.83%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$57.8 $57.8

$37.04 $37.04

56.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.24 $13.24

$13.63 $13.63

-2.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 $33.92

$32.36 $32.36

4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 $29.83

$30.31 $30.31

-1.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.68 $14.68

0.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 $7.01

$7.85 $7.85

-10.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$253 $253

$317 $317

-20.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 $5,676

$5,768 $5,768

-1.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 $78.6

$51.4 $51.4

52.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 $20.16

$43.95 $43.95

-54.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 $96.2

$102 $102

-5.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 $75.0

$112 $112

-33.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 $339

$341 $341

-0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 $326

$315 $315

3.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 $632

$631 $631

0.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 $585

$499 $499

17.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,220 $1,220

$1,207 $1,207

1.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$838 $838

$875 $875

-4.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$437 $437

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.6

9.35

13.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Vilcabamba: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pasaje: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $339 in Vilcabamba versus $341 in Pasaje. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Vilcabamba versus $48.00 in Pasaje. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Vilcabamba vs $194 in Pasaje – so Pasaje wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Vilcabamba vs Pasaje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vilcabamba costs about 1% more than Pasaje, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,399 per month in Vilcabamba and $1,388 in Pasaje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasaje, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Vilcabamba and $48.00 in Pasaje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $933 in Vilcabamba and $925 in Pasaje. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $933 in Vilcabamba and $925 in Pasaje, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Pasaje – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pasaje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vilcabamba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.